Relevance Today, due to the well-known and proven by many years of positive qualities of successful operation, induction machines (IM) have found wide application in various industries [1, 2], as part of motor [3–5] and generator sets [6–8]. The main advantages of an IM include simplicity of design, relatively low cost, the ability to withstand short-term current overloads, the absence of a brush-collector unit and expensive rare-earth magnets [9–14]. The relevance of the use of IM, which has not lost over the years, is confirmed, in particular, by modern manufacturers of electric vehicles [15], for which the issue of the most rational use of electricity is in the first place. The development of the principles of the theory of control of asynchronous controlled electric drives led to the emergence of various IM control methods, implemented in modern microprocessor-based frequency converters. These control methods include U/f control, field oriented control and direct torque control in various modifications and combinations [16–18]. The listed control methods have their own areas of application and are, to varying degrees, demanding on the availability of the parameters of the IM equivalent circuit used as part of the electric drive [19, 20]. Setting incorrect settings of the control system, based to the greatest extent on the parameters of the IM equivalent circuit, can lead to deterioration in the quality of regulation, as well as to a decrease in the energy efficiency of the electric drive [21–24]. It should be noted that the most acute problem with the availability of correct estimates of IM parameters arises when constructing sensorless control systems for electric drives [25]. Aim of research Review and compare the main methods estimation of induction motor equivalent circuit parameters used to organize a closed-loop control system of an electric drive. Research methods In this study, the following methods were used: study of scientific literature, study and generalization of information, comparison. Results The need to find estimations of IM equivalent circuit parameters for organizing a field oriented control system for an electric drive. A comparative analysis is carried out, the advantages and disadvantages of the main groups of methods for finding estimates of the parameters of an IM are described.